Indicating system



April 24, 1945.

c. A. BRAIDWOOD 2,374,408

INDICATING SYSTEM Filed June 22, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Tiqzz.

INVENTOR. ChesZ'er'JZBraicZwaoal April 24-, 194-5. Q BRAIDWOQD 2,374,408

INDICATING SYSTEM Filed Jun 22, 1943 F5 ET.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /6 F r- /a F F INVENTOR.

Ch esfev JZ Bra i zwood jifornefs Patented Apr. 24, 1945 INDICATING SYSTEM Chester A. Braidwood, Perth Amboy, N. J.; Emily Nelson Braidwood. Perth Amboy, N. J., executrix of said Chester A. Braidwood, deceased Application June 22, 1943, Serial No. 491,788

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a system to indicate the condition and position of things and may be used advantageously to indicate the position of various electrical or mechanical controls and other devices and for other similar and analogous purposes.

An object of the invention i the provision of a system of the character mentioned by which the condition or position of things may be indicated visually in conjunction with a panel or board having appropriate indices, and such visual indications being in the nature of clear and/or colored spots of cold light derived from electric lamps, to the end that said indices if made of plastic material and the like will not become mutilated or rendered useless.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a system as characterized above in which radiolucent indicator units are employed in combination with electric light sources in order to dissipate heat away from most vital parts so as to enhance the value and effect of sign boards and the like used as tell tales r indicators.

A further object is the provision of indicators which are well adapted to be used in close proximity to each other to conserve space.

A further object is the provision of radiolucent indicators which are detachable and interchangeable and also single indicators which are multi-colored to produce distinctively colored spots of light to denote position or condition of things economically and conveniently.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the embodiments thereof described in the following specification and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a. fragmentary face view of a panel board selected to illustrate the features of the invention shown applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing a multiple indicator unit.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a multiple indicator unit.

Fig. 7 is an inner end view of the unit shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an outer end view of the unit shown inFig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a modification.

Fig. 10 is an outer end view of the indicator unit shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the indicator unit shown in Fig, 9.

As stated, the invention may be applied advantageously to a board having appropriate indices and markings to indicate the condition and position of things and instrumentalities. In the present instance, by wa of example, there is shown a portion of such a board In which consists of a front panel H and a back panel I2 in spaced relation to each other. On its front face the panel ll has certain markings which are generally designated by the numeral iii. The markings represent the wiring diagram, certain electrical circuits and devices, such as switches, for controlling the circuits and constituting equipment installed in electric power stations and the like. The markings are formed by grooves in the face of the panel II and these grooves are filled with paint or plastic material to make the diagram visually effective. At the proper intervals the panel I0 has holes l4 therein which receive the indicator units of the present invention as counterparts of the diagram.

In Fig. 3 there is shown an indicator unit I5 of the multiple type which is designed and adapted to give two different indications or signals in distinctive colors. It is to be understood a required number of units of this type may be used. Each unit l5 consists of a frame member IS in the nature of a bezel and providing an aperture [1 of any shape, it being round in the present instance. A tubular member l8 in the nature of a ferrule is secured in any suitable manner to the frame member l6 at the back thereof in registry with the aperture H. The member I8 is larger in diameter than the aperture. A radiolucent element is held in place by the ferrule l8 and said element consists of parts I9, 20 and 2| respectively. The part I9 is of cross-sectionally round rod formation and the parts 20 and 2| put together surround the part l9, each part 20 and 2| being semi-annular in cross-section. The part is is made of methyl methacrylate, a material which is radiolucent in that it has the property of transmitting or, conducting light without diffusion. The part I9 is of clear substance. The parts 20 and 2| are made of radiolucent colored material such as a phenol formaldehyde product. The outer end of the part l9 is ribbed to give a lens or bull's eye effect, as at 22, and the inner end is conical as at 23. The inner ends of the parts 20 and 2| are semi-conical, as at 24, so that together they conform closely to the conical end 23. The inner end of each of the parts 23 and 2| on the outside is beveled with a concavity or recess 25 therein. The cylindrical surfaces and meeting faces of the parts 23 and 2| are coated with an opaque substance 23, such as paint or lacquer, to insulate them from each other and from extraneous light rays. The parts 23 and 2| are disposed symmetrically about the part I! with the parts 23 and 2| projecting in part into the ferrule l3 in contact therewith and cemented or otherwise secured thereto by plastic 21. The outer end of the part l3 projects into and slightly through the aperture H in the frame member I3. Spring clips 23 are secured to the ferrule II on opposite sides thereof and serve as a means to detachably support the unit l in a hole l4 by engaging the wall of the latter. Thus, the unit I5 is in fact a plug which may be readily removed and its position changed on the panel II. The frame member l3 limits the insertion of the unit l5 by contacting the face of the panel II. This member I may also be marked or bear indicia appropriate to its particular use.

Each unit I5 cooperates with a multiple light emitting unit 33 carried by the back panel I2. Each unit 33 includes a socket consisting of plates 3| of insulating material such as fibre, Bakelite and the like, spacers, and resilient multiple contact 33 which dividesthe socket into two lamp compartments. Each spacer 32 is made from a single piece of conducting material to provide a screw eye 34, apertured attaching lug 35 and terminal 36. The contact 33 ismade of a single piece of sheet conducting material cut, bent and formed to produce a general V shape structure presenting resilient contact members 31 and ear 33 at the bight. The outer ends of the members 31 are curved. A return terminal 33 is held in place on one of the plates 3| by rivets 40, one of which engages the ear 33, whereas the other one engages a spacing sleeve 42 near the outer ends of the members 31. Rivets 4| pass through the eyes 34 and plates 3| to hold these parts associated. The members 31 cooperate with the spacers 32 respectively to retain two electric lamps 43 in the compartments of the socket in electrical connection therewith. Each lamp is of the plug-in type with side contacts to bear on the related spacer 32 and member 31 when inserted. It will be apparent the members 31 exert pressure to maintain effective electrical connection. Upon insertion of one lamp, pressure of the latter on one of the members 31 oscillates the contact 33 somewhat, allowing said lamp to be inserted rather easily. When the second lamp is inserted, the pressure on the other member 31 increases the tension and pressure of both members 31 on the lamps and the latter against the spacers 32. The terminals 36 serve for connection with the feed wires to the lamps and the terminal 39 serves for connection with the return wire to the source of electrical energy. The lamps 43 are the sources of light for the unit |5. The plates 3| have V notches 44, respectively, to receive the conical end of the unit IS in such manner to prevent the leakage of light. The bulbs of the lamps 43 are received in the recesses 25, respectively, to make a close association with the parts 20 and 2|. Screws 45 received by the lugs 35 serve to secure the socket to the back panel I 2 which has an aperture 46 to receive the unit I 5 in the manner described.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent light emanating from one lamp is transmitted by the part 20 and part I9 to produce a red spot of cold light at the face of the panel whereas light from the other lamp is transmitted by the part 2| and part I3 to produce a green spot of cold light at the face of the panel ll. These distinctive spots of light in conjunction with the markings on the panel II and frame member l3 indicate definite conditions or positions of things such as the opening and closing of switches.

It will be appreciated that any suitable number of the units l3 and 33 may be used; that byhaving the lamps on a back panel spaced from an indicia panel, heat will be kept from the latter due to the air space between the panels, and because of the free play of cold air which will dissipate the heat of the lamps and thus preserve the markings on the indicia panel; and that the radiolucent units I! extend the light rays in such manner that cold light indications occur at the front panel to the elimination of heat.

The provision of the detachable units ll makes it easy to alter the information presented, and economical to maintain a board with a large number of indicators.

The indicator units may be diversely composed as will appear from Figs. 9-11. In these flsu es are shown a radiolucent unit 53 comprising a frame member or bezel 5| having an aperture ll' A tubular member 53 is secured to the member 5| at the back thereof in registry with the aperture 52, the member 53 being somewhat larger in diameter than said aperture. A radiolucent rod 54 has one end portion projecting into the member 53 and suitable bonding material 55, plastic or any other material secures the rod 34 to said material 55 also holds a glow cap 53 between the outer end of the rod 54 and the bezel 5| with the cap 56 disposed in the aperture 52. This cap may be glass or other analogous substance, and is of any selected color to glow brilliantly from the light conducted to it by the rod The ,tubular member has spring clips 51 which function to frictionally retain the unit in an aperture in the front panel The unit 50 like the unit I5 is of a plug-in type and is therefore removable. The frame member 5| limits the insertion of the unit by contacting the front face of the panel Light for the unit 50 is derived from a lamp 58 in a socket 59 secured to the panel |2. The radiolucent rod 54 is of a length to enable the inner end to project into the socket 59 to prevent leakage of light. In cases where indicators are arranged in close proximity to each other the radiolucent rods may be coated with opaque substance as mentioned hereinabove, such substance being designated 26. This will keep each radiolucent rod from being affected from extraneous light adjacent. rods while the latter transmit light.

Iclaim:

1. An indicator comprising distinctively colored elongated radiolucent members, a bezel, a clear radiolucent rod in light conducting relation to said members and having its outer end exposed in said bezel, and a covering of opaque material on the outer surfaces of said colored members but leaving the inner ends of ,the members bare.

2. An indicating device comprising a rod of clear radiolucent material, one end of said rod serving as a spot light when light rays are transmitted to the rod, means for transmitting light of one color to said rod, a second means for transmitting light of another color to said rod, and means to light insulate the first and second means from each other and from extraneous light.

3. An indicating device comprising a rod of clear radiolucent material, one end of said rod serving as a spot light when light rays are transmitted to the rod, and a plurality of distinctively colored radiolucent pieces of material surrounding said rod each of which transmits to said rod a distinctively colored light.

4. An indicating system including a front indicia panel, a back panel spaced from the front panel, radiolucent indicators on the front panel, and light sources on the back panel in light emitting relation to said indicators respectively, each of said indicators including a clear radiolucent rod whose front end is at or near the face of said front panel, and distinctively colored radiolucent means in light transmitting relation to each of said light sources and said rod.

5. An indicating system including a front indicia panel, a back panel spaced from the front panel, radiolucent indicators on the front panel, and light sources on the back panel in light emitting relation to said indicators respectively, each of said indicators comprising radiolucent members and each member of a distinctive color, and a clear radiolucent rod common to said members of said rod serving as a spot light when rays of panel, radiolucent indicators on the front panel. and light sources on the back panel in light emitting relation to said indicators respectively, each of said indicators including radiolucent members each of which is of a distinctive color, a clear radiolucent rod in light transmitting relation to said members and opaque means to light insulate said members from each other except at the inner ends.

7. An indicating system including a front indicia panel, a back panel spaced from the front panel, radiolucent indicators on the front panel,

and light sources on the back panel in light" emitting relation to said indicators-respectively, each of said indicators including radiolucent members arranged side by side and each member of a distinctive color, and a clear radiolucent rod in light transmitting relation to said members, the inner end of each member being recessed to contact its light source in such way as to pre-. vent leakage of light.

8. An indicating device comprisin a rod of clear radiolucent material, the outer end of said rod serving as a spot light when light rays are transmitted to the rod, the inner end of the rod being conical, and a plurality of pieces each of whichis of a radiolucent distinctively colored light are transmitted thereto from either of said members.

6. An indicating system including a front indicia panel, a back panel spaced'from the front material enclosing all of the rod except its outer end, and each of said pieces serving to transmit 30 to said rod 9. distinctively colored light.

CHESTER A. BRAIDWOOD. 

